


Gay bar continuation

by TrickyVicky3



Category: Common Law
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-31
Updated: 2014-12-31
Packaged: 2018-03-04 15:09:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3072467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrickyVicky3/pseuds/TrickyVicky3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My take on what happened in the car ride after the 'gay bar' scene in Joint Custody.</p><p>In the seat next to him Travis sighs sharply, his hands slowly shredding the napkin that Wes insists he use if he MUST bring food into his car. This is a worrying sign - that's a patented Wes move - yes he can recognise that himself, and what's even more worrying is that Wes can't find it in himself to berate Travis for it.</p><p>He drums his fingers on the steering wheel, a nervous tick he is well aware of thank you - Wes imagines Dr Ryan studying him in his head and immediately stops. He considers Travis out of the corner of his eye and waits patiently as Travis opens and closes his mouth, obviously attempting to word his question properly this time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gay bar continuation

**Author's Note:**

> Forgive me for this :P Un-beta this time so all mistakes are my own. Kudos to all who recognise the (unashamedly obvious) White Collar reference ;)

Travis is unusually quiet on the ride back that afternoon, something Wes should be over the moon about, but the atmosphere in the car is quickly becoming awkward and he feels that if someone doesn't say something soon then he's going to choke on the silence. 

He always thought the day Detective Travis Marks shut up would be cause for celebration, instead Wes just feels like he did something wrong, and just as he plans to break the silence, Travis finally speaks - his voice curious and playful.

"How did you know?"

Wes barely hears the question over the roar of the engine and has to strain to catch the last words. Confused, he flicks his attention towards Travis' face before turning back to the road and replying carefully.

"Travis you're going to have to help me out here if you want me to have any clue of what the hell you mean"

In the seat next to him Travis sighs sharply, his hands slowly shredding the napkin that Wes insists he use if he MUST bring food into his car. This is a worrying sign - that's a patented Wes move - yes he can recognise that himself, and what's even more worrying is that Wes can't find it in himself to berate Travis for it. 

He drums his fingers on the steering wheel, a nervous tick he is well aware of thank you - Wes imagines Dr Ryan studying him in his head and immediately stops. He considers Travis out of the corner of his eye and waits patiently as Travis opens and closes his mouth, obviously attempting to word his question properly this time.

"How did you know that 'Ramses' was a gay bar?"

This time Travis speaks louder but equally as slow, shocking Wes out of his stupor. He tampers down the urge to glance at Travis again as he rolls the question over in his mind. The truth isn't bad at all to be honest, he thinks to himself, but is he really ready for Travis to know? Travis didn't look at him when he asked so Wes doesn't look at him as he replies.

"Travis that was hours ago, how can you still be thinking about that? Anyway, to answer your question, I've lived here my whole life and I'm a cop, you think I don't know the name of every bar in at least a ten mile radius?

He makes sure to put emphasis on the 'lived here my whole life' then side-eyes Travis again, gauging his reaction, it was the truth after all, just not all of it. Travis - to his credit - tries to look convinced, nodding his head and turning around to face the window, but his shoulders are tense and he's still shredding the napkin so obviously Wes' words didn't have the desired effect. 

After a couple of minutes of more awkward silence Wes sighs and abruptly swerves the car into an empty side road and turns off the ignition, swivelling round in his seat so he's facing Travis slightly.

"Okay what? That wasn't enough for you? I'm honestly surprised YOU didn't know it was a gay bar"

As Wes stares him down Travis quickly recovers from the shock of being thrown to the side when the car swerved and mimics Wes' posture, turning in to face Wes. He looks petulant and annoyed, Travis seems to reach a decision as he straightens up and his face becomes harder, his eyes steely.

"I don't believe you, or at least I don't believe that's all of it - and why would I know?"

Dammit. Wes may fault him for a lot of things, but Travis didn't become a detective because of his good looks (wait what?) and god Wes has never hated his perceptiveness more than he does now. He attempts to play it off, shrugging and giving Travis his patented 'why are you such an idiot' face.

"What with your reputation? You can't tell me you've stuck to women your whole life, c'mon!"

Wes immediately regrets starting this conversation with Travis as he barks out a laugh and smirks at Wes. Who, upon realising what he's said, turns a bright shade of red and drops the eye contact they've somehow managed to hold up till that point.

"You're bringing my sex life into this? Seriously? Well okay then what about yours? You can't honestly say you've been completely cold turkey since Alex!?"

This stuns Wes into silence, how did he manage to turn the conversation to this? If there's one thing Wes tries his hardest to avoid talking to Travis about, it's sex - well and Alex, sex and Alex? They don't usually come up at the same time. 

Wes turns around to stare at the steering wheel, he brings his hands up to rest on it. Without thinking about it he begins to tap the out the notes to Fur Elise, his fingers dancing along the cool surface.

\---

As Wes collects himself Travis takes the chance to look at him, to Really look at him. Wes looks tired, the messiness of his hair suggests his irritation, and okay that sounds a bit stupid now he thinks of it; but Travis has always been able to tell Wes' moods by his hair, it's just a thing. Like how Wes can tell when Travis has had sex the night before, or when he needs to take time out from a case because he's getting too involved.

It should worry him, he thinks, that they can read each other so well, but that's the way it's always been and, he hopes, that's the way it will always be. He can't say what gave him the urge to question Wes the way he did but he doesn't regret it. He's been curious (Not jealous! Nope.) ever since the words "gay bar" left Wes' mouth. 

His eyes trace Wes' fingers as they move on the wheel, watching them tap out some sort of song? Apart from the tiredness Wes looks good today, like really good, and that's just unfair. It's like the universe likes to tease Travis, dangling Wes in front of him and going 'Look, look. Isn't he lovely? Yeah? Well tough you can't have him' and then snatching him away again.

As the silence stretches on Travis begins to regret bringing Wes' ex-wife into the conversation, he should know by now how much of a sore subject Alex is. Wes however doesn't look angry at Travis, he looks deep in thought, his glazed over eyes staring unfocussed at his fingers that are still tapping out that incessant rhythm. 

They sit in a companionable silence for a couple more minutes, giving Wes more time to think, and Travis more time to sneakily watch Wes - which isn't nearly as creepy as it sounds, honesty. Travis is so lost in his staring that he fails to notice Wes is now looking back at him through hooded eyes, his lips quirked in a soft smile. 

\---

Wes draws in a shaky breath silently and finally comes to what he hopes is a good decision. He speaks with an air of finality in the hope Travis will give in, which, if he's being honest with himself, is highly unlikely. When he talks this times he talks to the car radio, avoiding eye contact with Travis for as long as possible.

"What I've done, before and since Alex, Is none of your concern, and certainly none of your business"

Wes speaks haltingly, stirring Travis from his trance-like state, his voice comes out pained, yet it looks like he still wants to say more, he turns more to his right so his body is faced completely in Travis' direction and sighs sadly. He bring his hands down to rest on his leg, and his fingers pick up from where they left off, tapping on his knee. 

"There was someone. Before Alex I mean, someone I was close to, Very close. They told me about it, they even... They took me there once, just once! To see what it was like and, let's just say it made a lasting impression."

Wes finally brings his gaze up from where it was beginning to burn a hole into the car radio and makes tentative eye contact with Travis who, unsurprisingly, is gazing back at him, eyes wide with mirth.

"You've never told me this before, you sly dog!"

Travis' face breaks into a grin as he punches Wes’ left shoulder in what Wes can only assume is meant to be a friendly pat; however the force pushes Wes into the seat, causing Travis to bark out a laugh.

"Well? What's the name of this mysterious person? Does Alex know about this? Is she still around? How long were you guys together?.... More importantly... Is she single?"

On the last question Travis raises his eyebrows suggestively, before laughing once again. He brings a sleeve up to wipe the pretend tears from his eyes as he leans back against the window, his body still quaking slightly as he composes himself. Wes sits patiently, one eyebrow solitarily raised in confusion as he watches Travis attempt to compose himself. 

"You think you're hilarious don't you, Marks?" He finally drawls, watching Travis with what can only be described as complete and utter disbelief. He runs his right hand through his hair, tugging lightly at the roots before leaning back into the seat, resting his hands in his lap.

"I think I'm adorable" Travis replies, winking. Wes rolls his eyes so hard it looks painful and Travis has to bite back a smile.

"Quoting Supernatural is above you Travis honestly"

Wes' heart thuds in his chest, it's now or never isn't it? He can only deflect for so long, Travis can always tell when he's trying to avoid talking about something. He breathes through his nose and closes his eyes, he's so going to regret this.

"HIS name was Peter..."

Wes doesn't dare look at Travis when he speaks. He flinches at the stunned silence that follows and counts down from ten in his head before barrelling on.

"Alex did know him, he's an FBI agent - I know, I know. He lives somewhere in Manhattan now, we had an... On-off relationship for a couple of years and No... No, last I heard he's married now"

Wes trails off uncertainly as he picks at a loose thread at the hem of his shirt - must get that fixed, he flicks his eyes up to Travis' face before shooting them back down again, unsure of what to make of the emotion there. 

\---

A guy!? He's always said Wes was anal but this wasn't quite what he meant... And despite Wes' beliefs he'd never actually been with a man before, he'd thought about it yeah, watched stuff - all the obvious things, but he'd never gone through with it. 

There's that one memorable experience from when he was in college and he attempted to pick a guy up in a bar - a scrawny pale kid with dirty blond hair and large blue eyes that seemed to sparkle in the neon lights - but he'd freaked out last minute and left, after that he just stuck to women, a field he was a master in.

Obviously he had nothing against Wes being... What? Gay - no, he'd been married to Alex, Bi then? He could be anything really, like his foster sister Daisy who's Pansexual.

What really bothered him was that Wes had never told him. They'd been partners for over nine years now and Wes never thought to mention his interest in the same sex?

He opens his mouth to voice all this but what comes out instead is 

"Wait. You dated a Fed!?"

Wes blinks in shock and fixes Travis with an incredulous glare. 

"He wasn't a Fed at the time! Wait - THAT'S all you got from that?"

Travis shrugs, eyes flicking up Wes' face.

"S' the only thing that changes my opinion of you"

Travis grins softly at Wes, "Kidding! Look..." He reaches over and places his hand on top of Wes' on his lap, resting them together, unconsciously he starts rubbing soothing circles into the back of Wes' hand.

"Yeah I'm a bit pissed you never told me this before, but hey! You're right, It isn't any of my business, okay? I get that - I mean Alex could've told me honestly, what use is she right? - But still..."

He squeezes Wes' hand. "Hey Wes. Baby, look at me?" Wes blushes slightly at the nickname and glances up to meet Travis' eyes. 

"That's cool yeah? Sounds like a fun guy, he even managed to get you out to a gay bar! - To an actual bar!? With music and people and stuff? I mean wow - great feat managed there!" 

Wes rolls his eyes, "Back to the bar already, Cabbage-Patch?"

Travis smirks and nasally imitates Wes "Back to the awful nicknames already, Baby?"

"I do not sound like that!" Wes protests, grinning exasperatedly and shaking his head, reaching over to start the car. "Sure do, Baby" Travis grins smugly, sitting back in his seat.

Wes huffs and pulls out of the side road, checking his mirrors. Travis watches him fondly out of the corner of his eye, "You know what just happened there right?" He asks teasingly.

Wes shakes his head "Don't you say it - Don't you dare say it-"

"We had a moment! We bonded Wes! Doctor Ryan would be so proud!" Travis grins wildly, bouncing up in his seat. Wes splutters indignantly "Lies and slander Travis, Lies and slander".

He grins boyishly at Travis, before his gaze slides back to the road. 

\---

(Five minutes later)

"Hey Wes?"

"Hmmm?"

"He cute?"

"Shut up."

.


End file.
